Ok, let's talk film. Very sad news over the weekend, Sydney Pollack, a very accomplished actor and director has passed at age 73 from cancer. I didn't even know he was sick. This is a man who you didn't know was a legend. He never tooted his own trumpet. IMDB has all of his work listed and it really is an amazing list. "Tootsie" is a really good film. It is the last of the crowd pleasing romantic comedies. Romantic Comedies are extremely watered down compared to the ones of the 80's, but that's another blog. Mr. Pollack directed "Out of Africa" and "Absence of Malice" both very engaging films. If you have not seen any of these, please put them on your Netflix. He was a great actor also. I will remember him most from Michael Clayton's boss from last year's George Clooney film. He was very believable as a a strict boss in a crazy busy law firm. I highly recommend that film if you have not seen it. It hailed as one of my favorites from last year. I have seen it five times, it is that good.
George Clooney himself had something to say about the his death. Clooney called him "a class act". I am sure he was, but it looks like Clooney pulled that from a Hallmark card. Got nothing to say personal to all of us? We would prefer that George, he only was your friend and probable mentor. You're a writer George, say something personal.
Well we are not here to critique George Clooney, we are here to talk film. I don't know how to segway from talking about a death to anything else, so I am just gonna go for it. Our best to Mr. Pollack's family. His film will live forever.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull raked in 151 million over the Memorial Day weekend. Sounds like a lot. Actually it wasn't as much as Spider Man 3 last year with 151 in a four day take. There are seven or eight films ahead of it in the all time year list according to box office mojo, baby. I just hope its enough to justify a sequel for Indiana Jones. As I have said before, I will always be a bigger Indiana Jones fan than a Star Wars fan. So I am really hoping for a sequel. Yet, I don't think it matters if Indy 4 made a billion dollars over the weekend and if there was a large lobby in Hollywood to beg for more. Lucas and Spielberg do whatever they want without studio pressure. If Lucas was Sony pictures, we would have Star Wars 7, 8, and 9. Yet, Lucas is not Sony, he is talented and does not need more Indiana Jones to improve his retirement. The irony of Sony execs and Lucas. Sony needs Spider Man sequels more than we do and we need Star Wars sequels way more than Lucas does. We don't need another Episode One, but we need another Episode Three that's for sure.
Any serious filmgoer or serious actor would not be caught dead watching the MTV Movie awards. They are about as interesting as film with Paris Hilton. However, this year may be a year to take a gander at them. Yes I did say that. Reason? MTV has asked big name actors, well Jack Black, Ben Stiller etc...Big name actors if you watch only MTV, to make their own short films for the awards ceremony. If you are familiar with the parodies that accompany the fluffed ceremony that is "so cool", you would notice that many parodies that they do of films are actually funny.

Some. The Fellowship of the Ring parody is included in PJ's extended cut as an Easter Egg. So this years inclusion of "independent" parodies, actor style, may be fun to watch
Or to wait and watch on youtube.
Early inside speculation had Patrick Figit replacing Tobey Maguire for the new Spider Man films. Mr. Figit is scrawny, but in no way as good as an actor. I hear the desperate screams of execs echoing in Hollywood. I am foreseeing that putting together more Spider Man films would be as difficult as resurrecting Sharon Stone's career. Hey, Execs! Maybe she can be the new Spider Man and Carrot Top can be the new Mary Jane. I smell box office success!!!
If you need to laugh more, who doesn't her is Mad Magazine's parody of a letter by Lucas to Spielberg. It is very silly and very funny. If you are into that humor, please click on the pic.

Until tomorrow, let's talk film!